Review - Countdown on Prime

The latest Prime Original series is Countdown which premiered last month on June 25.

Mixed reviews popped up when it went live, but it's proved popular with fans—especially with those who were devoted Supernatural viewers.

Like most series in the last couple of years, Amazon releases them one at a time.

Yeah, they trained us to binge watch then they took that away. To make matters worse, they shovel in so many commercials that watching becomes tedious.

Honestly, I think there are more commercials than on traditional television, but I digress.

BLURB

An LAPD Detective Marck officer (Jensen Ackles) joins a secret task force to investigate a suspicious murder. When a sinister plot is uncovered, the team must  unite to save the city.

The rest of the cast are:

Jessica Camacho as Amber Oliveras

Eric Dane as Nathan Blythe

Violett Beane as Evan Shepherd

Uli Latukefu as Lucas Finau

Jonathan Togo as Damon Drew

Milo Ventimiglia as Robert Daren

Elliot Knight as Keyonte Bell

MY 2¢

Countdown doesn't pretend to be anything but what it is, an entertaining crime drama with a plot that's been done many times.

The actors are excellent with the material they've been given. Of course, the ending is predictable, but the surprises are all held by the villain of the piece, Bogdan Yasinski, who portrays Borys Volchek.

It's watchable, but there's one thing that is really annoying. That's the music that accompanies all of the action scenes. It takes away from the drama of the scene. In fact, it's become so annoying that I hit the mute button when it starts.

I fear this music accompaniment may be a trend because I noticed the same thing on the other new Prime series, Ballard.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If your watchlist is looking anemic, add Countdown to the list. You could do worse.

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5 Great Summer Heat Quotes

Today is the second day this summer that the temperature hit 100° F.

I was watering plants on the patio with the thought that I'd repot some of the ferns, but I changed my mind after 20 minutes. It was just too hot to be outside at noon.

I certainly identified with what Jane Austen said: "What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance."

I know I felt inelegant—a much nicer way to say I was hot and sweaty.

5 GREAT SUMMER HEAT QUOTES

"Books and summertime go together.” ―Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?" —John Steinbeck

“I love how summer just wraps it’s arms around you like a warm blanket.” ―Kellie Elmore

“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” —Russell Baker

"Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds." —Regina Brett

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Summer heat and books go together like vanilla ice cream and frozen chocolate-covered peanuts. Hey, why not indulge in all 3 this week?

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Old Enough To Be Bold - Published at Last

Yes, my new book. Old Enough To Be Bold, is finally live and available.

For this "new book" celebration, it's discounted from $3.99 to 99¢, and it's also available on Kindle Unlimited for subscribers.

Yes, the "poster" at left is the set up for this enemies to lovers romcom. I hope you'll enjoy the book.

I'm particularly interest in what you think about the quotations at the beginning of each chapter from The Book of Counted Pleasures by Lady Adorée.

I had a lot of fun writing this book in composing those excerpts from The Book of Counted Pleasures as well as the limericks in the book.

Tell your friends and family who read romance about my new book, available as an ebook everywhere and in print next month.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Writing a book is hard work, but the euphoria and the satisfaction when it publishes is absolutely stunning.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Review - Untamed on Netflix

A few weeks ago, I reviewed The Dry, a top-notch thriller from 2020 that's set in Australia and starring Eric Bana.

That movie was so good, I was elated to see Netflix had released his new series UNTAMED.

Darling Hubby and I binge-watched it this past weeked. Seriously, it was impossible not to keep clicking "next episode."

The story is intelligent with believable characters acting and reacting in believable ways. That is something you don't see too often in television and movies in today's world.

Your heart will be pounding during the opening scene. I won't say more than the story starts with the death of a young woman. Who the woman is and what actually happened to her is the engine that drives this story.

Federal Agent Kyle Turner (Bana) is the taciturn dogged investigator who will not give up. The tragedy that drives him is heartbreaking and colors everything he thinks and does.

Since I'm an author, I'm always trying to figure out "whodunnit" which wasn't really possible until the twist and twisted ending revealed all.

You'll find yourself emotionally involved with Agent Turner, his es-wife, and the rookie agent who learns some hard lessons about law enforcement in the wilderness.

Set against Yosemite National Park—with British Columbia sometimes standing in for Yosemite—the scenery is breathtaking. Yes, there is AI-generated art in some of the wildlife shown, but, I guess that's safer than the real thing in those scenes.

I've been griping a lot this year about Netflix and the poor quality of their offerings. This series will make me keep my subscription for a while longer.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're a Netflix subscriber, watch this. If you're not a Netflix subscriber, visit a friend who can stream the movie! Happy viewing.

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Perseveance Gets New Book Finished

From mid-May to early July, much of my time was taken by personal business.

When all of the special events—inluding  selling a house and packing up its contents to move into storage—were over, I settled in to finish writing The Book.

To be honest, I'd written this book a couple of years ago, but I felt it was missing something so I shelved it.

This year, I pulled it out and started rewriting it—again. I had a fourth of it done when all the personal stuff happened. I didn't get back into the office until after July 4. When I considered that I had only 15 days to get it finished, edited, proofed, and formatted, I nearly canceled the book because I was SO tired.

I didnt think I could do it, but I decided to try to make the July 19 deadline. 

I wrote every day and stayed up until midnight many nights to get it finished as quickly as possible so my editor and proofreader could take it on.

I did it. I managed to get it uploaded by 5PM Saturday—1 hour before the deadline. Whoop!

Sunday I walked around like a zombie.

Today, Monday, I started a new book.

PERSEVERANCE

If you look up the word, perseverance, you'll see that it's "the quality of continuing with something, especially despite difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. It involves steadfastness in pursuing a goal, purpose, or course of action."

Perseverance is usually viewed as a positive trait linked to success and achievement. At least, that's always the way I've thought of it. 

Personally, I think perseverance is linked to stubborness. You just get deep down stubborn and will keep going no matter what obstacle tries to block you.

The result? My new book, OLD ENOUGH TO BE BOLD, a spicy enemies to lovers RomCom  that publishes July 23, it will be available on Kindle Unlimited.

Trope Alert

Spicy Enemies to Lovers

Forced Proximity

Ugly Duckling

Handsome Stranger with a dazzling smile

And enough heat to melt the ice storm that forces Linnie and Max to share an isolated cabin.

Like the end of any good Romance, my writing challenge has a Happy Ending—the publication of OLD ENOUGH TO BE BOLD.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I hope you'll get my new book and love it! If you do, please leave a review.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Saturday Share - CrockPot Gingerbread

When I say "CrockPot" recipe, that's because my 2 slow cookers are CrockPot brand. Any slow cooker will work.

Today's recipe is for Gingerbread, an old-fashioned spicy cake made with molasses and ginger. 

For those who grew up with grandmothers and moms who made this cake, you probably were told that it had its origins in ancient times.

MINI-HISTORY OF GINGERBREAD

Gingerbread's history begins back in ancient times, and it evolved through many cultures and eras. Ginger, the plant, grew in ancient Egypt and Greece and was used in honey cakes and spiced bread for religious ceremonies.

In the 11th century, Crusaders brought ginger to Europe where it was adopted by European cooks, especially in Belgium and Germany. In the Medieval period, gingerbread was a popular treat at fairs and festivals. Bakers shaped it into animals, people, and even religious figures.

Gingerbread houses which we think of only at Christmas were created in Germany in the early 1800s and were inspired by "Hansel and Gretel, the Grimm fairy tale.

MAKE GINGERBREAD THE EASY WAY

That means in a Slow Cooker. You'll need a 6 quart or larger device. Oval is great if you plan on baking it in a loaf pan. Round is fine though to make it in the crock without a pan. I don't use a baking pan.

You'll need 2 medium sized mixing bowls—1 for dry ingredients and 1 for wet.

Ingredients 
1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature (not melted)

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Grandma's Molasses (If hard to find, order from Amazon.)

2 1/2 cups AP flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoon ground ginger (the bottled spice, not fresh ginger)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda—NOT baking powder

1 cup hot water

Instructions 

Note: Slow cookers vary in heat output. This recipe may work best in an oval device because a round slow cooker might not let it cook through in the middle before the edges over-cook.

1. Spray your slow cooker stoneware with Pam or other baking spray.

2. In one of the bowls (you can use a stand mixer for this if you wish, but I use a hand mixer.), add the soft butter and sugar and cream together with a mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again until fully  incorporated. Now add the molasses and blend well.

3. In the second bowl add the flour, salt, spices, and baking soda. Mix well.

4. Pour the dry mixture slowly into the wet ingredients, blending well after each addition.

5. Carefully pour the hot water slowly into the mixture, mixing well to achieve a smooth batter.

6. Pour the batter into the slow cooker, and place the lid over it.

7. Cook on high. Cooking time may vary based on the shape and size of your slow cooker. Generally speaking, my 6 quart oval CrockPot takes about 2 hours and 10-15 minutes. Do not open the lid during this time. 

8. When the cooking cycle is ended, check the cake. First, look through the lid towards the end of the cooking time. The gingerbread should look like a done cake. If uncertain, give the slow cooker a shake. If the cake isn't set up, it will show a slight movement in the middle. Replace the lid and cook 10-15 minutes longer.

9. When done, remove the stoneware and set some place for it to cool to reoom temperature. When cooled, carefully remove the cake with a wide spatula.

10. Serve plain or with Lemon Sauce (my recipe posted a few weeks ago.) or whipped cream. My family likes it slightly warmed with a butter pat on it.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

The smell of the gingerbread is insanely aromatic, and the taste is delightful.

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Prime Day Guide for Senior Citizens

I find it's difficult to give a meaningful gift to older relatives in the family.

Most older people already have everything they want. They do NOT want some cute decorative item that is a dust catcher, a food item not keyed to their dietary restrictions, clothes that may not fit or be to their taste, things that don't fit their lifestyle, etc.

The gift of last resort is usually a generic gift card, but wouldn't it be nice to give something the recipient would really appreciate?

Most senior citizens are on fixed incomes so  giving something they would enjoy but don't buy for themselves is a good thing.

Also, giving something they ordinarily buy to relieve some of their monetary stress. Let's focus on those 2 areas—wants and needs—with this post for seniors or for those who give presents to seniors.

PRIME DAY DEALS FOR OLDER LOVED ONES

1. First up is a Prime Membership Gift. This will allow the gift recipient to:

• stream music, movies, and TV series
• get free shipping on most products
• read free from a rotating selection of ebooks and  magazines
• get exclusive deals and discounts especially on Prime Day
• store unlimited quantity of photographs with Amazon Photo
• save 10¢ per gallon at participating gas stations when you link a  Prime account
• Grubhub+ free delivery on orders for a year
• Amazon Pharmacy for fast, free delivery on prescriptions
• Membership Sharing of some benefits with another adult in your household, and
• Prime Access—Discounted membership for those receiving government assistance.

2. Audible Membership will be a blessing to an older adult who loves to read but who may be visually challenged.

3. Kindle Unlimited Membership is great for an older adult who reads but who needs large print books. 

With a Kindle or Kindle Reader app on a cell phone, the text can be made so big that it's better than a large print book.

If you don't want to give a Kindle, a little pricey if you don't take advantage of today's Prime Deals, then look at #4 below.

4. For Low Vision Seniors, a Prime Day Deal, Large Magnifying Glass that offers a full page view with Cool and Warm Light with 3 Modes and a Folding Handle. Reduced from $22.99 to $15.49. This will help in reading books, magazines, and newspapers. It might even help in viewing the monitor display.

5. Gift of Health Supplements since many senior citizens take health supplements to counter the aging effects. I'll mention the ones Darling Hubby and I have taken for many years.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a recommendation for you to take them. I'm not a doctor or a  nutritionist. Do your own research. If you have any kind of medical condition, ask your doctor before taking any supplement or starting an exercise program.

We want to be like the happy senior citizens in the photo at left—happy, healthy, strong, and with full possession of our mental faculties.

That's why I think there's a place for supplements and why I always research everything before adding it to our supplement list to make sure it is safe and has proven effective in double-blind studies.

(I YouTube channels focused on medical and health information like Dr. Brad Stanfield, a real doctor, not someone who posts scraped content from other channels.

I also highly recommend a medical teaching channel staffed by researchers and doctors called MedCram.

Having given all those disclaimers, here are supplements we actually take which are on sale as I write this. 

Vitamatic Colostrum

For healthy immune system. Reduced in price today.

Nutricost Taurine

We started this a year ago after watching several doctors' videos about the health benefits to body and brain. It's a Prime Day Special.

Zebora CoQ10

We've taken this for 20 years. Supports heart health and energy.

Nutricost K2 + D3

A lot of people take Potassium and a lot take Vitamin D3. Many do not know that taking them separately does little good. They need to be taken in combination. That's what this K2+D3 is.

6. Heating Pad for Neck Shoulders & Back Pain Relief

Yes, older people have aches and pains. This heating pad may help bring relief from the stiffness and aches in hard to relief muscle groups in the shoulders and back.

7. Last but not least, give a YouTube Premium Gift Subscription via a Google Play Gift Card—I'll explain that below. Millions of videos that educate, entertain, and offer armchair vacations in technicolor.

Staying interested in life is one thing every senior citizen needs especially when family is far away, friends are now fewer in number, and physical llimitations often prevent getting out into the world.

YouTube Premium gives a commercial free experience for $13.99/month, about $170 for a year, much less than Netflix! 

(Watching without ads/commercials is why we subscribe to YouTube Premium.)

You can't directly give a YouTube Premium subscription. What you do is give a Google Play Gift Card for the amount you want to give, and your recipient then uses the gift card to purchase YouTube Premium. Do it and help your senior set up the subscription. Google Play gift cards come in digital and printd forms.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Really give some thought to gifts for the older relatives in your life. They'll deeply appreciate your time in finding something they wanted and/or needed.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Special Prime Day Deal on Prime Signups

Happy Prime Day! Actually, Prime Day is July 8 - 11 so you have multiple days of great deals.

I'm shopping, and you probably are too. To kick off this event, I have 2 questions for you.

FIRST QUESTION

Why signup for Prime?

See the graphic at left? That was posted to my Prime account recently. Cute, huh?

It represents how much money I saved in the last 12 months from free shipping, discounts on products, ebook reading, music and video streaming.

We shop on Amazon a lot because it's often easier than searching the stores when we need something other than groceries. (Confession: Sometimes we buy grocery products too on Amazon.) 

There are a ton of other benefits that we have never used. We're small potatoes when it comes to consumerism, but we think we're definitely getting our money's worth from our membership. 

Want to see everything a Prime subscription offers? Here's a list of Prime Membership Benefits that will amaze you. 

SECOND QUESTION

Did you know there are special signup deals for Prime Day and special kinds of Prime Memberships?

Yes, indeedy! Special deals and special types of Prime Memberships. Here are a few you may be interested in.

PRIME FREE TRIAL

For this Prime Day event, new users can sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime which gives them access to all Prime Day deals and other benefits like free two-day shipping and Prime Video. So sign up today or at any time before the Prime Day event ends and experience the benefits of membership  including exclusive deals and discounts available during the sale.

PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTS

I didn't know that there was a special discounted Prime Membership for Young Adults, ages 18-24. You get all of Prime’s benefits at half the price plus additional perks tailored for a young adult audience. In fact, you get a limited-time 5% cash back savings across categories like beauty, apparel, electronics, and personal care. See the specific eligibility criteria that you'll find on the Prime Young Adult sign-up page.

There are many other special signup deals, like for an Audible Free Trial. I love audio books. They make the miles speed past when traveling by car. They're also great for making housework not so boring.

If you're a reader, you'd probably like to become a Kindle Unlimited Subscriber and read a plethora of wonderful books each month. (All of my books are on Kindle Unlimited.)

Actually, the Kindle Unlimited Prime Day free trial is for 3 months, not 1 month!

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Save money and sign up for Prime during this period. You'll be glad you did.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Monday Magic - Cell Phone Security Tips

Good morning! Today I wanted to share some cell phone information.

Darling Hubby and I are in the market for new cell phones. We're iconoclasts who hang on to expensive tech as long as possible.

It's obvious my battery is going on my iPhone so I was cruising YouTube and looking at phone information.

I found a video about Apple's trillion dollar payouts to China and how the workers who make most of the cell phones on the market earn about 50¢ an hour for 12 hour days. That payment has increased a pittance but it still is way below what it should be. Workers should get a living wage not a pittance.

My research includes looking at smartphones in general: where are they made, how secure is the data on them, how likely are they to be hacked, etc. My concern is that private data is increasingly difficult to keep private. Apparently, everything about millions of us is now available on the dark web.

HAS YOUR PHONE BEEN HACKED

Your smartphone can be hacked. Someone can even watch you through the camera in your phone—yes, that is possible, especially with an Android phone.

If your phone is acting funky, check to see if it has been tapped.

Simply dial *#21# and that will check to see if your phone is being monitored or if your calls and messages are being forwarded.

If you find data on your phone is being forwarded, dail *#62# and that will show where your calls are being forwarded.

SIGNS YOUR PHONE IS COMPROMISED

If you think someone is watching you through your phone—look for these signs:

1. suspicious background app activity

2. odd camera behavior

3. strange camera light behavior

4. unexpected screen behavior

5. phones, videos, or audio files on your phone that you did not make

6. higher data usage

7. your location is being accessed

8. poor video call performance

9. strange sounds when your making or receiving a phone call

You can also scan your phone using Certo, a spyware detection tool for iPhone and Android.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PHONE IS COMPROMISED

Immediately delete any suspicious apps. Use a tool like Certo or something similar. Run a Google search for anti-spyware for smartphones to find one you like.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

 I'm still gathering information. I found 1 company in the United States that makes smartphones designed to keep user data secure—the Purism Librem 5, with a Linux OS.I'll keep you posted about what we choose.

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Moving: Chaos in Motion

Anyone out there love moving? No? I didn't think so.

Moving! {shudder} I've been away from the office since June 17 because we have been moving.

We sold our country property, and the buyers wanted a fast closing. That meant we had 2 weeks to pack everything, arrange for movers, and get the heck out of there.

During this period, I had to have a tooth prepped for a crown. For some reason, I had nothing but pain with the temporary during those 2 weeks—a first for me.

Finally, we closed on the sold property, and two days later, I had the permanent crown in place. A definite improvement.

Even though we had most of our belongings moved into storage, there were still far too many odds and ends that ended up at our home in town. OMG! If I hadn't been convinced before of the need to clear out the clutter, this was an extra loud wake up call. 

When I finish writing the book I'm supposed to publish in a couple of weeks, I'll definitely dive into the process of giving away and selling what's in storage.

MOVING FACTS

1. The average person moves 17 times in a lifetime.

2. Most moves occur during May to September—obviously driven by school children in the family.

3. Statistically, the last Friday in June is usually the busiest moving day of the year.

4. Moving is the 3rd most stressful event in a person's life. It's also stressful on pets who get ripped from their known environment.

5. Friday is the most popular moving day.

6. Renters move more often than home owners. In the USA, a third of all renters move each year.

7. In the USA, 40% of all moves are work-related.

8. People in the 20s to 30s age range move most often.

9. The average American home contains more than 300,000 items. (I think they must be counting every knife, fork, spoon, washcloth, etc.

10. In 2025, the most popular destinations for those moving are: Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. 

I think Texas is already bursting at the seams. It seems there are as many out of state license plates as Texas plates on the freeways these days.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Take it from me. If you're thinking about moving, start clearing out the clutter now. Then start packing well in advance. Good luck!

If you are moving, take an R&R break and read a funny RomCom to relieve stess. I prescribe THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE, a steamy enemies to lovers romance set in a small town. On sale for only 99¢ (A KU read if you're a subscriber.)

THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE

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Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Saturday Share - BBQ in a CrockPot?

Barbeque in a CrockPot? Absolutely. I've perfected an easy way to BBQ in a slow cooker. There's really no recipe, it's a process, and it's easy and delicious.

WHAT TO GET?

A slow cooker of your choice. Mine is a stoneware version from CrockPot. It's decades old. To my surprise, you can still get a Stoneware CrockPot at Amazon.

Next, you need a package of pork ribs, a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, and salt and pepper.

I buy a big package of Country-Style Ribs. You can use just about any kind of bone-in pork or meat as long as it has fat on it.

Now I do trim the country style pork ribs if there's a huge amount of fat on them. 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the ribs and pat dry. (Darling Hubby worked in the meat section of a supermarket when he was going to college. He said most meat departments don't clean up the tiny particles of bone from cutting huge pounds of meat. They also don't clean the sawblade when going from one kind of meat to another. So always wash your meat and pat it dry.)

2. Spray the slow cooker crock with Pam or brush with oil to make cleaning up easy.

3. Season the meat well with salt and pepper.

4. Place the meat in the slow cooker and use the low setting.

5. Cook for 10-12 hours until the fat is melted and the meat is falling off the bone.

6. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and shred the meat.

7. Place the meat in an oven-proof dish and pour BBQ sauce over it and "toss" the meat to coat.

8. Serve to acclaim.

9. Pour the drippings into a jar or bowl and refrigerate. When chilled, you can separate the fat from the drippings. Use the fat if you're into the new trend of lard or discard if that's not for you. The meat drippings can be saved to use in stock or flavoring gravy or sauces.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is the easiest way to make mouth-watering BBQ in the kitchen from what is usually the cheapest cut of meat in the supermarket—Country Style Pork Ribs. Let me know if you try it. 

Joan participates in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed  to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

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Happy Independence Day, America

I'm finally back in the office—more about what I've been doing later—and want to share with you some little known facts about our 4th of July holiday.

Did you know...

1. The actual vote for independence occurred on July 2nd, but it was adopted on July 4.

2. The Declaration of Independence was not signed on the 4th by all of the delegates.

3. John Adams, who later became our 2nd President, thought July 2 should be commemorated as Independence Day.

4. On July 4th, not on the same year of course, 3  U.S. presidents—John Adams, our 2nd President; Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd President; and James Monroe, our 4th President—died on July 4th.

5. On July 4th. the Liberty Bell is tapped—not rung—13 times on July 4th in honor of the original 13 colonies.

6. Celebrating Independence Day on July 4th with fireworks began in 1777.

7.  Independence Day did not become a federal holiday until 1870.

8. The oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration in the United States began in 1785 in Bristol, Rhode Island.

9. Americans eat about 150 million hotdogs on July 4th.

10. In 1958, a history teacher in Lancaster, Ohio assigned a class assignment to redesign the national flag as both Alaska and Hawaii were soon to become states. 

Sixteen-year-old Robert Helf designed a new flag, using the original 48-star flag and some blue cloth and white cloth iron-on material to create a new flag. He received a B minus for his project, but he thought he deserved a better grade. He mailed his flag project to President Dwight Eisenhower who chose his flag as the winner.

After that, the history teacher changed his grade to an A. His flag became the official flag in 1960.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

However you celebrate Independence Day and wherever you are, take a few minutes to understand what the Founding Fathers were trying to achieve and honor that achievement.